Tip #2: Cross out prepositional phrases before you look for a sentence's subject.

Let's get back to our examples.

Example #1:

The students from the classrooms at the end of the hall were very noisy.

You might look at that sentence and have brain-overload. You know that subjects are usually nouns, but there are four nouns in that sentence.

The students from the classrooms at the end of the hall were very noisy.

Eek! What are you going to do?

Since prepositional phrases contain nouns and pronouns, when we cross them out, we eliminate many potential subjects because we're eliminating many nouns or pronouns.

The studentsfrom the classroomsat the endof the hall were very noisy.

Now it's much easier to see that students is the subject of the sentence.

Example #2:

Each of the students in my class studies diligently.

Can you identify the subject? This sentence has three contenders.

Each of the students in my class studies diligently.

You might be fooled into thinking that students is the subject of this sentence. After all, the sentence is about the students, right?

Well, sort of. The subject of the sentence is actually each.

If you know your prepositions, you know that of the students is a prepositional phrase, and subjects will never be in prepositional phrases.

Eachof the studentsin my class studies diligently.

Now it's much easier to see that each is the subject of the sentence.

*Note that identifying the correct subject will help you choose the correct form of the verb. If the subject were students, the verb would be study. (subject-verb agreement)

For those of you who would like more information on prepositions, you can learn more on these pages:

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